Bogus prophet dupes teen into paying him with laptop and phones worth R12k

A case of theft has been opened at the Ikageng police station.

A case of theft has been opened at the Ikageng police station in North West after a bogus prophet duped a 17-year-old girl into giving him a laptop and three cellphones worth about R12 000 last Wednesday, Potchefstroom Herald reports.

The teenage girl told the Ikageng police that at about 2pm last Wednesday, a man approached her and prophesied over her and her mother.

Ikageng police spokesperson Sergeant Kelebogile Trom said the girl believed he was a prophet, as his facts were correct.

“However, he offered to help her provided that she gave him her urine. She drove with this man and his friend in their white VW Golf to a garage in Ikageng industrial area. He prayed over the urine in the car and in her presence,” Trom said.

Trom added that the three of them drove to Ikageng township, where the ‘prophet’ asked her to provide him with a laptop and five cellphones in order for them to pray over the items.

“The girl alleges that she went and borrowed a laptop and a cellphone from two friends. She continued and drove with these two men to another friend where she borrowed another cellphone.

Trom says the false prophet then parked the car and went out to pick up a stone, which he placed outside a nearby house. The girl was then told to go and get the same stone. She left them in the car, and when she returned, the two were gone with the laptop and three cellphones. The total value of the good amounts to R12 900, said Trom.

Trom has warned the community to avoid any unknown people in the streets masquerading as prophets claiming to know about their misfortunes and prophesying about them and their families.

“The community must not be tricked into giving away their hard-earned belongings for ‘blessings’ or ‘prayers for good fortune’. They are only after your cash and electronics,” she warned.

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